A Medieval Tale
by skrblr
Summary: Four kids and a cat get stuck traveling together. Even despite certain people not getting along very well, they brave large pockets, yellow clad outlaws, and bumpy carriage rides. Robin Hood comes into the picture later...
1. Barnabas and Seth

_This doesn't relate directly to Robin Hood until later on, but maybe you'll read it just for the fun of it? Let me know about historical inaccuracies, bad writing, and other in-need-of-fixing spots. Please review! Enough of italics, on with the tale._

* * *

"Elizabeth? Are you ready for the feast?" the Baron of Selby asked his daughter through her door.

"Nearly. I'll be down in a few minutes." Once the clicks of the baron's receding steps had faded, Beth's maid exploded.

"What were you thinking! 'A few minutes?' You don't even have your gown on!"

Nevertheless, somehow, in a few minutes, Charlotte had a dress on Beth, as well as properly styled hair and everything. She inspected her work, then rushed Beth into the hall. Just before they entered the room full of long tables and nobles, they stopped for one last check. Char nudged a few pins into place in Beth's long blond hair. Her own brown braids were messy as ever. Beside the door, a minstrel was singing a ballad about Bernard of Barnesdale. Something concerning an outlaw band who ran around Barnesdale Forest in bright yellow, stuffing people in holes and tying them upside-down from trees. Beth peeked around the doorframe.

"Isn't that minstrel handsome? That one around the corner?" she said, pointing. Char scowled.

"I bet I could make up a better story." Beth looked at her. They immediately sat, ruining Char's work fixing the folds of Beth's dress.

"Once upon a time there was a handsome minstrel," Char began quietly. "He and his apprentice were well-known throughout the land. Almost everyone who heard them threw rotting vegetables at them. Sorry Beth, but I really hate bards."

"I couldn't tell," Beth muttered. Someone slipped through the grand oak doors and tripped over the girls.

"There you are. People are starting to wonder where you were. I would get in there soon if I were you," he said, standing and brushing himself off.

"Thanks, James," said Beth.

"I don't hear any music. Is the minstrel gone?" Char asked hopefully.

James grinned. "Of course." They walked in. James received a venomous glare from Char.

"I hate bards, I hate bards, I hate bards…" Char murmured repeatedly.

Once the courses had all been served and the guests were mingling, a blonde fourteen-year-old boy carrying a harp (named Seth) appeared in front of Beth.

"My lady Elizabeth," he greeted the girl no older than he. "Let me—"

"Are you with that singing buffoon?" Char demanded.

"_Char…_Ahem. Please disregard my maid. She's somewhat insane."

"I'll second that," James cut in.

"Hey!"

Seth smiled. Beth smiled back. James smiled too. Char glared at everyone.

No one had time to say anything, though, for at that very instant chaos broke out.

Ladies screamed, fainted, or continued their conversations. Noblemen did the same, though a few drew ornamental swords, just so people couldn't call them cowards. Seth, Beth, James, and Char were drawn to where a blubbery, red-faced man in chain-mail was standing with 15 soldiers.

"Oh, no," Beth groaned. "It's Barnabas."

"BARON!" boomed Barnabas.

"Here," Beth's father squeaked.

"Your daughter Elizabeth marries my son Dennison or else," the baron from Barnesdale growled.

"Here's Elizabeth," Lionel of Selby said, gesturing for her to come closer. She did, with Char close behind, and James and Seth waiting at the front of the crowd.

"Good."

"He's certainly not one for long monologues," Char whispered.

* * *

_Don't forget to review! Criticism, encouragement, random thoughts-- anything is great! Let me know if I ought to continue. Anything else? Tell me if I've forgotten some major (or minor) thingamajig. Have a nice day! Or night! Or not!_


	2. Starting out

Char stumbled through the drizzle, laden with a pile of boxes, bags, fabric, and shoes bigger than she was.

"This had better be everything," she grumbled. James walked alongside her, picking up all the things she dropped. He soon had as big a pile as she did.

"Did you remember her olive green dress?" he asked. Char's eyes widened and she almost dropped her load.

"Wait… She doesn't have one!"

"No. But it was worth it to see your face," James replied. Char dumped the rest of her stuff on him.

"So there."

Beth and Seth were strolling along behind them.

"Isn't it great? I get to come along, since my master was planning on taking this route anyway," Seth was exclaiming. "He'll even let me ride along with you two!"

"But I won't," Char told him. "If you try to ride along with us, I'll stuff you in this box." She pulled out Beth's tiny jewelry box.

"Can't your father afford servants to carry all this to the carriage?" James asked as the pile tumbled down.

"No. He can't even manage a second carriage for it. Barnabas was forced to supply guards," Beth answered.

"You'll need the guards," said Seth, helping James gather up the things again. "They say there's this band of outlaws in Barnesdale Forest, and Barnabas is having a tough time getting rid of them." James dropped the pile in the back of the small carriage. He sat for a moment on the thinly padded bench, until Char shoved him out.

"Time to go," she called. "Farewell!"

"Bye! I'll visit you someday!" James shouted back.

Three hours later, Beth and Char were to the point of twiddling their thumbs with boredom.

Beth sighed.

Beth sighed again.

Beth sighed once more.

Beth sighe—

"Stop sighing!" Char commanded. Beth looked exceedingly bored.

"How about a story?" Beth suggested.

"I suppose…" Char trailed off. Then she began to tell a tale off the top of her head. Neither was now twiddling her thumbs. A few hours later, darkness settled in and Char's story ended.

"That was marvelous," Beth said in awe. Someone clapped. Puzzled, Char and Beth went to the tiny window to see no one. The guards, driver, and bards were gathered around a fire. The clapping continued for a while, then stopped. The girls went to the back of the carriage to examine the boxes. One shook slightly. Char waved for Beth to stand back. She carefully lifted the lid. A mop of red hair popped out, and underneath, James, stretching and breathing deeply.

"Better. Nice story, Char," he commented. She turned a few colors. Beth giggled and James smiled impishly.

"Glr—splkrk—Gah!" she spluttered. Someone knocked, then entered the carriage. It happened to be Seth.

"ARRGGHHHH!" Char came at him, hands outstretched in strangling position. Beth and James calmly held her back.

"Good evening, Seth. I'm glad to see you," Beth greeted him.

"YOU APPRENTICE OF A—" There Beth shoved a shoe in Char's mouth and smiled again at Seth.

"Did you hear Char's story?" James asked him.

"I overheard some of it," he said, frowning a little. He was a bit upset at how much better she was at storytelling than his master, Henry. "It wasn't too bad for an amateur."

"I thought it was great! At least the parts I could hear from the box," James said.

"Well, you are a stableboy. I have had an excellent education, heard the finest tales by the best minstrels in Europe, know both Greek and Latin—"

"Really?" asked Beth, who had wanted someone to try her self-taught Latin on. "Tu callidus es. Quis erat tuus magister?"

Seth tried to look smart, but he couldn't quite pull it off. There was confusion written all over his face.

"Ha! You lie!" Char said smugly.

"I do not lie! If you weren't a girl, I'd demonstrate my extensive training in the art of—uh—fighting."

"Oh, I'm not always a girl," Char said innocently. "At least not when I fight. Then my lady, and those I beat, say I'm more of a beast."

"I can attest to that," James added. "The last time I got in a skirmish with her was at age seven. That turned out to be the year I vowed never to fight a girl again. Strictly because of chivalry, of course."

Seth now looked rather proud in the light of the oil lamp. "Of course. But you are a mere stableboy; I am nearly a noble." Beth coughed. James shrugged. Char lunged at him.

"Oops, there she goes," James said mildly.

"Don't break his fingers. He does need to play his harp," Beth told Char.

"She couldn't—OW!" The fight was over in minutes. Seth, 'ow'ing, 'ouch'ing, and using various expletives, barely touched Char.

"I yield! Ouch!" he panted finally. He plopped down, inspecting wounds. Char smiled nicely and demurely sat by Beth.

"Told you," James said.

"Well, now that you two have had your fun, would you tell another story?" Beth asked.

"Just to add insult to injury. Injuries," James said, settling into one of the softer bags. Seth just sulked as Char began her story. But he got more and more excited as the night, and the tale, wore on, though. At around midnight Char finally finished.

"That was amazing! I loved it! I mean," Seth quickly amended himself. "It wasn't bad for a maid." Char might've said something had he not proved her own point already. So instead, she just looked at him, smug as a cat. Still trying to prove her incompetent, Seth spoke up again. "I'm sure I've heard that story before, though. Not from a bard, from a book. You must've read—"

"I can't read."

"Oh," Seth looked quite surprised.

"Yep, he's certainly 'nearly a noble'. Only one of those would expect a commoner to be educated," James said.

"Anyway," Seth broke in hastily. "Wouldn't it be exciting to go on an adventure like the one in the story? James could distract the guards while the rest of us sneak away. Then—"

"Nope," said Char and James together. Beth looked uncertain.

"Oh, come on," Seth pleaded. "James, you're the stowaway stableboy in a box. You certainly don't seem to have anything against adventures."

"Actually, that rather cramped experience occurred only because Beth, despite her quiet, mild manner, tends to get into trouble, and I need to help Char keep Beth from doing the sort of thing YOU suggest!" Beth tried to look innocent.

"Well, I think it's a great idea!" she said. "First of all, I know that girls my age marry men far older and worse than Dennison. But you see, I haven't seen Dennison since we were eight, at some archery contest. And he threw mud on my dress."

"And then I beat him up," Char added. "But I still don't want you running off into the woods."

"Don't you care what Beth wants, though?" Seth challenged her.

"W—" Char began angrily.

"More than that is the politics. Let's say I don't like Dennison. I'll find some way to get out of it. Frogs may appear in beds, slippers be found with thorns in them, horses mysteriously escape—"

"Not the horses!" James exclaimed.

"And if Barnabas finds out I'm doing it, which he's bound to eventually, it will reflect very badly on my father and on Selby in general. Which may very well start a war. On the other hand, if I mysteriously disappear on the way there, with only Barnabas's guards around, it will reflect very badly on Barnabas. Which could be very good for Selby and my father." Beth fell to her customary silent state as Char fumed.

"Fine. Off we go. To our certain doom."

"When do we leave?" James asked glumly.

"A little after dusk tomorrow. Beth and Char, you're in charge of provisions. That means food and water. James, you figure out some diversion. I'll lead the way and bring tools and weapons. We'll go over the plan tomorrow as soon as we stop for the night," Seth directed.


	3. Walnut

A colorful sunset was behind James as he gloomily trudged to the carriage, where Seth was already briefing the girls.

"Finally, someone sane!" Char said when he climbed in.

"I beg your pardon," Seth said indignantly.

"Yes, Char, I'm afraid you're under the false impression that one of us isn't completely crazy," James told her. Beth nodded.

"All right, Beth and Char, have you managed to come up with any supplies?" Seth asked, glaring at Char and James. Char pulled something—an apple—from a small pocket hidden in the folds of her skirt.

"That's hardly enough to sustain us for a week," Seth said disdainfully. Giving him a look that said 'idiot' quite clearly, the maid lifted a small loaf of bread, three more apples, three unfilled waterskins, a few hard biscuits, a number of the small packets of nuts and nonperishables the guards carried, and the book of pictures of edible plants one of the newer guards used to keep with him, out of the same pocket.

"That's not all the food; I just don't feel like putting everything away again," Char told them. Seth blinked a few times, while James squinted at her pocket. Beth winked at Char, who suppressed a smile.

"Weapons?" Beth prompted.

"Ah yes. It took the utmost care, and a great deal of patience, but I used my tremendous skill in fencing to get these," Seth said, displaying two short blunt knives, a fork, and a kitten. "How did that get in there?" Seth tossed the kitten aside. James climbed across the carriage to expertly catch the yowling kitty.

"_Never throw a kitten! Evil, evil minstrel!_" James's freckled face turned bright red with anger as he went on. "_Cats can't fly! Birds can fly! Cats aren't birds! Can that penetrate your thick skull! Bad, bad, bad Seth!_ Poor little kitty; I'll name him Walnut. _As for YOU, you_—you—Char, I need a name for Seth—whoa. Thanks. _I'll set Char on you!"_ Seth cowered before the skinny redhead with the little brown tabby kitten.

"Some fearless fencing master," Char muttered.

"Anyway," Beth interjected before Seth could reply. "James, do you have an idea for the diversion?"

"Seth and I could fight, across from where you'd be heading. Fights always attract attention," he told them with a savage grin.

Seth looked worried. "Um…"

"I wasn't serious. We can fight in private," James said. "As for the diversion, what do you think of me trying to train this cat to do tricks?"

"Assuming you could make it look interesting," Beth said, ignoring the fact that it was meant to be a joke.

And thus it came to pass that James and Walnut headed off, away from the carriage. All five of the guards, plus the minstrel, were once more gathered around the fire. James was sure this plan, that had seemed (if not perfectly plausible) at least possible in the carriage, would never work. Nevertheless, he bravely pressed on until he was a few yards away from the fire.

"Ready, Walnut?" One of the guards glance in his direction. He nudged the man next to him.

"Look at this," he murmured. "I think he's trying to do something with that cat." Those two, and soon all the rest of them, watched as James somehow had Walnut fetch sticks, sit on his shoulder, and perform a number of other un-catlike tricks. James himself was astonished. He wasn't telling, or even hinting, for the kitten to do anything. Well, it certainly made a good diversion. The guards stared at Walnut as Beth, Char, and Seth crept behind the carriage and into the forest, laden with a few small packages.

All the men around the fire were now gathered around the kitten. Not one noticed the various crackles and crunches of sticks made by the other three kids. They did notice, however, when the carriage driver dragged Seth and Char back into the carriage and barred the door from the outside. He returned to the forest to get Beth, who did not look at all pleased.

"You need to keep better track of these," the driver chided. Beth was locked in the carriage as well. "And we should probably put that one in, too." He was looking at James. The guards were a bit disappointed when Walnut followed him.

Char, Beth, Seth, James, and Walnut were held captive in the carriage for the remainder of the trip. Boredom struck at six o'clock. Char and Beth were dozing off in a corner, while Walnut snored slightly, and James and Seth were terribly bored on the bumpy carriage ride to Barnabas's. Seth poked Walnut's ear. It twitched. He poked it again. It twitched, and Walnut rolled over and continued snoring. James twiddled his thumbs. Seth poked Walnut's back. James hummed quietly, and Walnut shivered. Walnut's ears perked up and a faint plip-plopping could be heard on the roof of the carriage. The rain gradually grew louder and the storm was on its way. Walnut stood up, arched his back, mewed, and jumped from Seth's lap to James's. The kitten pawed around in a small circle before deciding to curl up and go back to sleep. James sighed and scratched the kitten behind his ears. Seth pouted, slightly jealous, and tugged Walnut's tail. Walnut mewed and went back to sleep. The thunder outside was loud and booming, demanding attention, but somehow everyone in the carriage ignored it, even Walnut. Seth yawned widely, and mussed his hair. James nodded off to sleep, and Seth was the only person, other than the driver, awake.

Seth watched outside his window, arms folded with his chin resting on top. The trees were drenched, and the dirt road was muddy, though the rain had stopped. Mourning doves cooed and robins chirped. Seth peeped out the window to see the driver. He had a few things to say to the man. At the next pause, when they were let out for a short break, Seth jumped onto the driver's seat and refused to budge. So with a muttered curse, the carriage driver plopped down next to him.

The guards rode thought the mud, joking with each other and ignoring everything else. It was easy to ignore Seth and the driver. They were completely silent, though Seth looked like he wanted to ask some questions. Finally he did.

"Who are you?" Seth was rarely accused of being tactful.

"The carriage driver."

"What's your name?"

"Will." Seth was starting to get impatient.

"How did you know we were running away last night?"

"Heard you."

"How? We didn't say anything."

"You stepped on twigs. Loudly." That was Will's first full sentence that day.

"Why weren't you paying attention to the kitten?"

"I was… Oiling the harness."

"You're a bad liar," Seth said, as blunt as ever. "What were you really doing?" Will glared at him, saying nothing.

"I'll just keep asking and asking until you get so fed up you just tell me." And that's what he did. Before long, Seth had found out that he belonged to the group of outlaws living in Barnesdale Forest (which happened to be only about 50 miles from Sherwood Forest), was led by Bernard, and had been reporting to him in the woods that night. Seth, of course, remembered the ballad of Bernard of Barnesdale. In it, he and his small group of outlaws were less skilled, meaner, and far stupider than the band of Robin Hood they roughly modeled themselves after. It was said that Bernard's people were the thieves, assassins, and law-breakers that weren't able to find Robin's hideout. Of course, such outlaws could be found throughout England, especially in the forests. What made the Barnesdale ones special was their apparel. Designed to look like Robin Hood's, they were, instead of Lincoln green, bright yellow. Bernard's idea. No one had any idea why. And wouldn't dare ask—he and his men were known for stuffing people in holes or stringing them upside-down form tree branches.

So when Seth heard Will's background, he was a bit alarmed. Who had hired him, anyway?


	4. Yellow Outlaws

At the next stop, Seth voluntarily rode inside the carriage. The 'master minstrel' had barely spoken to his apprentice the entire trip. Which had been two days. He didn't seem to care much what Seth was up to, at least as long as he, himself, could talk with and entertain the guards (he'd been a little upset the night Walnut and James stole the spotlight).

In any case, now Seth was brimming with excitement as he fidgeted in the carriage. Finally everyone returned and he burst out, "Guess what? Will, the carriage driver—"

"We know. We heard everything through the wall," Char said, extinguishing his delight. "What do you think of it?" Beth shrugged. She thought it didn't really matter, but knew the others would. So, as usual, she kept her thoughts to herself.

Seth answered. "I'm sure you've heard the tales of the Barnesdale outlaws. So you know they're rarely up to any good. I bet this is no exception."

"So? What can we do, locked in a carriage with no weapons?" wondered Char.

"We have two knives and a fork," Seth said defensively. Char rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, we don't even know if he has a plan," Beth began.

"Uh, you might want to take that back," James said. Outside the stopped carriage, Will was whacking the guards efficiently over the head with a large rock. Now all six, plus the minstrel, were strewn unconscious at the edge of the road. A number of men in yellow came from behind the carriage. They swept aside some undergrowth to reveal several deep holes. All seven of those on the ground were shoved in. The four in the carriage were clustered around the glassless window. Seth was nearly falling out. James petted Walnut absently, leaning around Seth to view the scene. Beth and Char waited patiently for a little while, then Char shoved the boys aside and she and Beth saw the Men in Yellow try to slip unnoticed into the forest. Their suits weren't helping them.

The carriage jolted and began to bump along the narrow forest road again.

"We still don't know their plan," Beth mumbled.

When they were next allowed out of their rolling prison, it was one at a time. Three days had passed since they'd left Selby. The estimated travel time had been five days. Somehow Beth doubted this would be realistic now. Then she thought of another thing.

"What is it?" Char asked, seeing the worry on Beth's face.

"Just a thought." The two exchanged looks. Char knew the problem instantly. She sent a glance back. Beth stared at Char.

"Any chance you two could use words?" James asked.

"No," said Char.

"If I don't get to Barnanbas in two days, he'll find some way to blame it on my father and wage a war. I don't know if father will surrender or not, but either way, it won't turn out well," Beth responded.

"Oh," Seth said.

"But how would it have been different if you'd escaped?" James wondered.

"It wouldn't have, but Seth contaminated everyone with his stupid escape plot so we couldn't think straight," Char told him, glaring at Seth. Seth wisely scooted to the side of the carriage farthest for Char.

A few hours of arguing, playing with Walnut, and being bored later, the carriage jerked to a stop. The men in yellow (who'd been following on horseback) blindfolded the four kids. Walnut slipped into Char's pocket. They tripped and stumbled as the guards led them to what they assumed would be Barnabas's hide-out. The slapping branches and snagging thorns (that caused more than one curse from Char) grew more common as they walked.

"Took long enough," Seth grumbled once they'd stopped. Their blindfolds were removed. A good look at their surroundings would have revealed lots of trees, brambles, and numerous holes, some uncovered and some partially strewn with branches and so forth. Of course, they were not allowed a good look, as they were immediately pushed into a hole, dug by the massive roots of an oak and tunneling down at a slant.

"Wow—rather spacious down here," James said. His mind changed when Beth, Char, Seth and Walnut were sharing the black-as-pitch burrow.

"Oh, move OVER!"

"YOU are TAKING MY AIR!"

"MOVE!"

"You're in my space!"

"Mrow!"

While Char, Seth, Walnut, and even mild-tempered James engaged in this exchange, Beth stood, being jostled and feeling alarmed. Once everyone had settled sufficiently, Char heard her lady sigh.

"Ha! This time you can't see each other, so you'll have to speak aloud!" Seth crowed. Char glared in Seth's general direction, but nevertheless questioned Beth in words.

"Did you see something?" she asked, correctly interpreting the sigh.

"Yes. Just for a second. But someone bearing a startling resemblance to Barnabas was standing by one of the trees."

"What does he look like again?" Seth asked. "I've only seen him once."

Not trusting Char to answer civilly, Beth replied, "He's big, hairy, fat, disgusting, and stubborn as a donkey." Seth was now even more alarmed than Beth.

"What now?" Char asked irritably when Seth muttered an 'uh-oh'. James continued to stroke Walnut, trying to calm the kitten.

"That happens to be the description a certain ballad I know gives of Bernard, the unscrupulous Robin Hood wannabe. He's not so concerned with honor and the poor, as Robin Hood is, though."

"Sure. Scoot over, Beth," Char said doubtfully.

"I don't know," mused James. "It's possible that Bernard the Bandit and Barnabas the Bad Baron of Barnesdale are one and the same." Beth shrugged again, accidentally nudging Char, who lost her balance and tumbled into James, who dropped the kitten, who yowled and leapt onto Seth, who had a good scare and shrieked, which scared poor Walnut even more, which made Walnut head straight for a dirt wall, which happened to collapse when all four of the humans also fell on it. Fortunately none fell on Walnut.

The collapsed wall revealed more darkness, but had it been visible, it would have looked like an underground cave, with roots hanging from the ceiling and sticking out of the walls. It had a smaller tunnel branching up from one of the walls to the surface. However, it was blocked off, so even if they'd been able to see, they wouldn't have been able to get out. Instead, they looked at where their faces ought to be. With one accord, they charged into the next wall of dirt they met, coming upon an open upwards-sloping tunnel. They crawled up it, straight into the middle of the outlaws of Barnesdale.


	5. Robin Hood

There could be no going back, most importantly because Char was not fond of dark, damp places with gigantic worms and centipedes and so on. And thus it was that when the men, all of whom looked very big and strong, came to recapture the four, it was Char who fought the hardest, actually keeping them off for a few minutes and even knocking out one of them. It was probably the passing merchant who saved the day, though. The four, plus Walnut, were making more than enough commotion to alert him of their peril. So he abandoned his wares on the twisty road, hiking off into the woods to find the four (or five) pitted against the thirty or so. Once it became clear that Char, with the assistance of her friends (who fought with a little less gusto), couldn't hold them off for long, he came to their rescue. Grabbing a massive stick from the ground, at least a foot taller than he was, he twirled it in a maneuver that made the fighting stop for a whole ten seconds. Then he did a few more maneuvers, and the entire outlaw band no longer felt like imprisoning Char, Beth, Seth, or James. He gave them a quick smile, tossed down the stick, and went whistling on his way. Needless to say, the four followed him, James carrying Walnut on his shoulder.

"So," said the merchant. "Would you be so kind as to give me an explanation?"

Everyone looked at Char, the unofficial storyteller. She glared at them, but told their tale.

"Wonderful! The telling, that is, not the tale in particular," the man exclaimed. His blue eyes, like Beth's and Seth's, as well as James' green ones, were focused on Char. She grinned happily.

"Um, who are you?" Seth asked a few minutes later. The merchant thought a few moments.

"A merchant," he said at last.

"What's your name?"

"Oh, fine. You're going to figure it all out soon anyway. I'm Robin Hood. I had to pass through this forest on my way back to Sherwood from the May fair. If you don't mind, I'm going to take you to Sherwood for a while. These woods don't seem very safe. So, if you wouldn't mind hopping in the cart so we can get moving," he said, grinning. Char narrowed her eyes to look at him again. Beth sat silently. Seth was sorting through the tales of Robin Hood in his head. James held Walnut and gaped. Walnut licked himself. They all climbed into the back, sitting among clay pots and sculptures. Robin jumped onto the ledge where the driver would sit and got the horses trotting.

"Did you make these?" Seth asked, examining one of the pots.

"No, I traded some of my things with a traveling potter." Once again, there was silence. The trees soon thinned then stopped, for the most part. This time the bumpy ride was not quite as boring as the one earlier, for Char overcame her limited shyness quickly. Hours of questions ensued. The cart didn't stop as often as before. In fact, they continued rolling even after dark, though Robin had to pause at a farm to change horses. So, what would have taken another five days, only took two. And they came upon no bandits whatsoever.

Beth and Char held one of their silent conferences again the second afternoon.

"Arg!" said James. "I like English!"

"Me too!" said Seth and Robin Hood. Curiosity had gotten the better of both of them.

"Fine," snapped Char. "We were just communicating about possible political outcomes since Beth won't be there in time. So far, we've deduced that the most likely case is that Barnabas will blame it all on the Baron of Selby, Beth's father, for not supplying more guards. Barnabas is not a peaceful man, so we're counting on violence."

"Well done; You're right! Barnabas is already preparing for war, though the Baron of Selby still has no idea anything is amiss," Robin told them.

"How do you know?" Seth asked.

"I have people everywhere." Seth looked around uneasily. And even more uneasily when a hand poked out of a nearby tree and waved.

"I see," he said nervously.

Soon the cart stopped.

"Everybody out!" called Robin. "We walk the rest of the way."

_A week later in Sherwood Forest_

"Now. This is how you stab," directed a green-clad outlaw. "Keep your arm close to your body, and don't arc down, shove straight out. Getting there." Char went through the motion a few more times.

"Hey, Seth!" she yelled. Seth knew better than to come closer. Earlier that week, she'd demonstrated some hand-to-hand fighting on him. He hadn't been overjoyed. Being stabbed with a practice stick wouldn't make his day, either. So he continued to listen to Alan-a-Dale explain how to properly hold a lute.

"Fine," muttered Char. She sneaked behind him, catching Alan's eye first for approval. Then she poked Seth with a stick.

"Well done!" congratulated her instructor, Will Stuteley. "Next time, keep your balance on the other foot." Char nodded, poking Seth again, but this time doing so perfectly.

"Good!"

James glanced up from one of Friar Tuck's dogs that he was playing with. "Yes, well done stabbing Seth, Char!" Beth, who'd been discussing the situation of Selby with Midge (the miller), looked over at this remark. Seth was yelling at Char, who was now sitting in an oak, laughing. With the sun beginning to cast its final golden rays across the treetops of Sherwood, Seth, Beth, James, and Char argued incessantly amidst Robin Hood's outlaw band.

* * *

_So, what thought you? Do you think I ought to continue it? Review..._


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